The Events, Brighton Dome

This review was originally published on The Public Reviews.

On stage; a set of empty benches, a stack of familiar looking plastic chairs, a stainless steel tea urn and in the corner, a battered upright piano. We know this room, this room is familiar to us. This is where our kids have birthday parties, we meet here for AA meetings or first aid training. It is this sense of recognition thatThe Events endeavours to engage us with. This community, this same collection of people, could have been yours. These tragic circumstances could have happened to you and the people you know; if it did, how would you cope with the aftermath?

The play began as an idea between writer David Greig and director Ramin Grey, a response specifically to the Breivik shootings in Norway, but also a reaction to similar events across the world. Their idea was to explore the motivations of the perpetrators, but more so the effect on individuals, seeking to discover how ordinary people deal with extraordinary circumstances. It was whilst researching the play in Norway that Greig and Grey, in search of light relief, came upon the idea of using a local choir as a central device. Each performance of the show incorporates a different local choir, who provide not just beautiful voices but another connection to the audience’s world.

The choir are asked to participate, but none to perform any part other than themselves, each reading the lines from scripts in their choir book or as directed into a microphone. The acting is left to Amanda Drew in the role of Claire, a vicar and choir leader and Clifford Samuel who flips deftly between multiple roles. Whilst all participants took a little while to relax when on stage (it was for all of them a first performance) each performed their part with skill and presence. The story telling, like the set and presence of the choir, is simple and sparse, but the message is deceptively rich. The choir sing out the message in the final song, when they turn to the audience, with the houselights up. If your looking for the answer, how you might cope with the aftermath of such an event, you will find the answer right here.

Love films, clueless about theatre? Brighton Festival tips for Movie buffs.

The 2014 Brighton Festival brochere has been released. It has a black sheep on it and it's looking feisty. The festival is much easier to unpick than the Fringe, so you will find my recommendations for the festival below with the Fringe to come. I have noticed that a lot of the free events are already gone, such as the Murakami inspired Murakamification which is a shame because it looked great, so I have only included events that you can get tickets for. If you are more of a film lover than a theatre lover, then I have added extra advice for what you might like to see.

If you enjoyed the dark and knowing comedy of Sightseers you will enjoy feeling a bit bruised by this....
What happens to hope at the end of the evening
Not only is Tim Crouch a justifiably world renowned theatre artist, he is also based in Brighton and a really nice bloke. Supportive, witty, open and in the rare possession of being as genuinely interested in his audience as some companies claim to be. Working again, with long term collaborator Andy Smith; always worth it, often shocking, very funny and sometimes a bit weird, in a good way.

If you admire the monochromatic antics in the The Cabinet of Dr Caligari you will want to get into this...

Opus No. 7

Because of Shakespeare, the English often behave as if they invented theatre. Yet on the continent, British Theatre is considered a bit stuck in its ways. It is the Eastern Europeans and Russians who are considered the theatre masters; visual and emotionally open instead of wordy and uptight. Of course,

you may prefer the latte , but if you're after the former, this Russian UK premiere may be just the ticket.

If you swooned over the desolate Paris, Texas you will probably be fascinated by this...
Bonanza
I have a little bit of a thing about uninhabited towns (if you haven't seen Bombay Beach, then you should). Bonanza is a bit cinema, a bit documentary and a bit miniature scale model town. Containing interviews with the inhabitants of a Colorado mining town, formally inhabited by 6000 residents, now occupied by 7, who reveal what life is like in their unique community.

If the dancing in Pina moved you then you should probably get yourself to this...
Sun
Hofesh Shechter is this years festival director and Sun is the opening festival event. Isreali born and Brighton based, Shechter is not new to the Dome and for the many fans of his work 'Sun' is much anticipated. Frenetic, energetic and life affirming, with an excellent soundtrack, this will get your heart pumping and make you want to run out onto to the streets waving your arms around, probably.

If you cried over Amour you will probably find yourself equally moved by this...
Plans
There aren't too many opportunities to see dancers aged over 60.  There aren't many opportunities to see them dancing at Brighton Station either. Choreographed by a former member of Hofesch Schechter Company, another free event with the potential to make your spine tingle, if you're not too hard hearted.

If you can admit to enjoying The Hangover Part 2 you should try and look cooler and say you have seen this...
Gym Party
Made in China are a theatre companies' company. The sort of live art/ performance art crossover more at home at The Basement than the Theatre Royal. The kind of thing that makes those expecting scripts, a plot, or characters, wonder what the hell is going on. If you like your theatre reckless and stupid then you might like this.

If you imagined yourself escaping into the wilderness in Into the Wild you will want to immerse yourself in this...

Gruff Rhys

Concept albums are often slightly dodgy territory but Gruff Rhys is such a charming performer and the subject matter so interesting, there's a high chance this will be a lovely event. Tracing the adventures of Welshman John Evans; Rhys' ancestor, hunter of bisons and wrestler of reptiles. Rhys created an album, with accompanying slideshow complete with Evans avatar.

If you were moved by Tyrannosaur you will want to get involved with this...

Who pays the price?

Brighton and Hove have one of the highest levels of domestic violence in the country. So this talk, chaired by Guardian journalist Polly Toynbee, promises to be a sober but highly needed discussion.

If you liked the combination of comedy and criminals In Bruges you might laugh at this...
Long Live the Little Knife

An opportunity to see the sold out transfer from the Traverse theatre from last years Edinburgh Fringe Festival. A crime caper about a couple of art forging con artists, written and directed by David Leddy; maker of well written and imaginative theatre. A great opportunity to see something really well done.

If you're a sucker for pop psychology and beautiful graphics such as those in Freakonomics you will already have booked a ticket for this...
Information is Beautiful
Bound to be sold out quickly, with Brighton's large community of digital companies and graphic designers. For all those already en thrall to the beautiful simplicity of infographics you won't need any persuading and are probably already a fan of McCandless' book and website. For anyone else this promises to be an excellent opportunity to hear him state his case, for the potential of visual information to change how we see the world.